A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. The sentence will be followed by one year of supervised release.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV handed down the sentence to Manuel Sebastian Valenzuela Olivas, age 20.
Court documents show that Olivas used a temporary visitor visa to engage in fentanyl trafficking. On August 10, 2025, he traveled from the U.S./Mexico border to New York City, where he obtained fentanyl from a supplier in the Bronx. While en route to deliver the drugs to a buyer in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, his vehicle was stopped by Pennsylvania State Police for a traffic violation. A search of the vehicle led troopers to find one kilogram of fentanyl under the driver’s seat.
Olivas has remained in custody since his arrest and will be transferred into immigration custody after serving his prison term as part of his plea agreement and sentencing terms.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson.
United States Attorney Rivetti stated: "I commend the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Drug Law Enforcement Division, Western SHIELD Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work on this investigation."
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to use all available resources from the Department of Justice against cartels and transnational criminal organizations while also addressing illegal immigration and violent crime.
